The Republicans in Lansing are demonstrating an uncanny willingness to return large dividends to those who invested heavily in their electoral sweep in 2010. Gov. Snyder’s plea for “shared sacrifice” is really nothing more than empty words. Big business received a $1.8 billion windfall with the overhaul of the Michigan Business Tax. What have the hardworking citizens of Michigan received? A 2011 version of Republican Robin Hoods taking from the poor and middle class and giving to the rich by cutting the earned income tax credit, taxing our seniors’ pensions, slashing $1 billion from our public schools’ budgets and eliminating $300 million in revenue sharing to cities that is used for public safety.

The Republican-led Legislature is once again planning more attacks on our local governments, our school districts and our state’s public safety and they’re doing it with the best interest of big corporations in mind by doing away with the Personal Property Tax (PPT). Once again, they are delivering on a campaign promise to their well-healed campaign contributors by proposing the elimination of the PPT.

The PPT essentially taxes businesses on things that they use; the computers, machinery, vehicles, and office equipment. In an economy heavily reliant on manufacturing, which uses expensive equipment, this tax provides local governments a guaranteed source of revenue that the state cannot touch.

This money is not filtered through the state and cannot be raided by the administration as the School Aid Fund was — for $900 million in fiscal year 2011-2012 — to support a tax break for the same big businesses they are catering to again.

The simple fact remains that when Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville and Speaker Jase Bolger eliminate the PPT, local governments would be out $783.7 million in steady revenue. This not only spells disaster for our local school districts but also threatens cities’ ability to provide the public safety services by forcing the layoffs of firefighters, police officers and EMTs.

Gov. Snyder, Senate Majority Leader Richardville and Speaker of the House Jase Bolger want to eliminate millions of dollars from local budgets, but how are they going to replace these funds? The answer to that came from Richardville, when he suggested that cities and towns should consolidate services, that some local units of government could simply be erased, and that our towns could be weaned off of this revenue. “I think we’re going to have to step back and take a look and say maybe we don’t need quite as many cities, quite as many villages, quite as many townships, at least not in the same structure as they are today,” said Richardville.

I will not support elimination of the PPT when the Legislature has broken promises and raided the funds going to local governments in favor of corporations, and I will not allow for the Republicans to simply suggest that we leave our cities with the bare-bone essentials. Just look at our city of Flint. We will receive yet another devastating blow with the elimination of this PPT. We stand to lose $4 million; a 22.5 percent reduction in guaranteed revenue. This is on top of the already $4.5 million that Flint schools have lost already lost in the Republican raid on the School Aid Fund.

In a time where our city is still feeling the devastating effects of the recession, I cannot support our city losing even more funds. Flint has developed an amazing ability to “manage misery.” The Republican agenda, led by large campaign contributions is more important than the public interest.

– State Rep. Woodrow Stanley, a Democrat, represents a portion of the city of Flint. Call him toll-free at (888) WOOD-034 (966-3034) or email him at WoodrowStanley@house.mi.gov.